Time line

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1770   Capt. James Cook landed eastern Australia in H.M.S. Endeavour 

1788, January 26  First fleet of 11 ships arrives Sydney Cove Established the penal colony that became the first European settlement in Australia. 

1798   Flinders and Bass in the sloop Norfolk circumnavigated Van Diemen’s Land, proving it to be an island, and opening up a route to southern Australia 

1801, March Matthew Flinders circumnavigates continent, which he names ‘Australia’ 

1803 Union (for 4 months), captain Isaac Pendleton Independence built by American sealers based in American River. 

1804   Foundation of Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land, as a British colony

1806 (approx)  "Joseph Murrell & 6 crew stranded" Sealers dropped off at the N.E. end of KI at Murrell’s Landing (Harvey’s Return) 

1809  Eliza collects Murell + 2, returns to Port Jackson with skins 

1810 Endeavour of Sydney, Endeavour of Norfolk Salt, seal skins 

1812   Elizabeth and Mary collected KI salt, returned to Sydney in June 

1812  Campbell Macquarie arrives Nepean Bay 

1813   Henry Fifer, sealer, from "Elizabeth and Mary" (or "Campbell Macquarie"?) Still on KI 1817 

1815-16 Captain Peter Dillon, Spring, killed 500 seals on Kangaroo Island and 100 on Althorpe Island. He reported the land around Port Lincoln as fertile and productive.  

1817   Henrietta, Rosetta, Spring, arrive Hobart with KI salt and skins 

1818    ‘Governor’ Henry Wallen (aka Wallan)  established a farm in the Cygnet River Valley

1818 (approx.)  Abyssinian Jack (John Anderson)  sealer, reported as living on KI for 14 years 

1819  Jupiter, Captain Ainswworth Salt and skins, C.Feen (Chief Officer) and Samuel Tomlins drowned at Bay of Shoals. 

1819  Governor Macquarie Captain Sutherland on Kangaroo Island (see 1831)

1820  Little Mary, Captain James returns from KI to Sydney 

1824   Nathaniel Walles Thomas from the brig Nereus Tasmanian aboriginal wife Betty

1824   George ‘Fireball’ Bates, established a farm in Hog Bay 

1826 Population "Upwards of 200 souls vegetating on this convenient spot.  30 men and 40 black women, independent of a numerous progeny, contrive to make themselves quite comfortable in their snug retreat."

1827   Nathaniel Walles (Nat) Thomas established a farm at Creek Bay 

1827   Major Lockyer reports on Kangaroo Islanders "'a complete set of pirates, ..., having their chief resort or den at Kangaroo Island,.. 

1830   Charles Sturt explores Murray River 

1831    Captain Sutherland writes glowing account of his 1819 visit influencing the SA Coy to establish the capital on K.I.

1831, April 29    Collet Barker arrived in the Isabella (from Swan River with convicts) with instructions to explore the Murray mouth.  Explored the coastline up from Rapid Bay, climbed Mount Lofty. Travelled overland from Yankalilla to the Murray, where he was  killed by natives 

1831, December 20 Elizabeth, Capt John Hart, Nepean Bay

1833  Captain John Jones of the schooner Henry from Van Diemen’s Land visited Kangaroo Island and then proceeded up St Vincent’s Gulf and “put exploration parties ashore at various points… and returned to Launceston making a report on the suitability of the country for settlements.” Jones recommended Cape Jervis and the eastern shores of Gulf St Vincent as most suitable for settlement.

1834   George Meredith (later murdered) Aboriginal wives Big Sal and Suke. 

1834 Port River was officially "discovered" by Captain John Jones, after an 1831 sighting by Captain Collet Barker. 

1835, May   South Australian colonisation commission was gazetted 

1835  William, cutter, William Thompson disembarks and joins Waller 

1836, February 19   Letters Patent enabling the South Australian Act establishing the Province of South Australia

1836, June 14   Capt John Hindmarsh received commission as Governor of SA 

1836, June 27   Deed of Settlement of the South Australian Company signed. The Deed was bought by the State Library of South Australia in 1936, the State’s Centenary year.

1836, July 27-September 20  Duke of York Nepean Bay 

1836, July 30-September 20  Lady Mary Pelham Nepean Bay 

1836, August 16-September 28  John Pirie Nepean Bay, then to Hobart

1836, August 22-September 7 Rapid Nepean Bay 

1836, September 11-November 7   Cygnet Nepean Bay

1836, September 13  (unsubstantiated) First birth, Nepean Kingston Neale, at Nepean Bay. He died at Holdfast Bay two months later.

1836, September 24   Samuel Stephens, Charlotte Beare married aboard the John Pirie 

1836, October 5-9 Emma Nepean Bay.

1836, October 26 - Nov 19 Vansittart  Nepean Bay, with sheep from Hobart.

1836, November 2-6, 22-29  Africaine Nepean Bay 

1836, November 7   John Rapid Hoare birth Rapid Bay 

1836, November 27 - Dec 24  Truelove arrives Nepean Bay from Sydney en route to King George Sound.

1836, December 6 to 14 Tam O'Shanter Nepean Bay then to Holdfast Bay (16th Dec)

1836, December 24   Buffalo arrives Port Lincoln 

1836, December 28  Buffalo arrives Holdfast Bay 

1836, December 28  Proclamation of the commencement of the colonial government at Glenelg 

1837   David MacLaren Manager, SA Coy to 1841 

1837, January 12  Coromandel  arrives Nepean Bay, and stayed about 3 days 

1837, January 16 William Hutt arrives Nepean Bay from London, went aground, one passenger Matthew Peary PIESSE, departs 22 Jan 1837 for Holdfast Bay. The same year Matthew married Margaret Eliza CLARK(E) who arrived a little earlier on the Africaine.

1837, February  Jeremiah Calnan (Africaine) dies at sea Encounter Bay

1837, February 7  John Renwick arrives Nepean Bay 

1837, March 5  John Pirie departs Kangaroo Island bound for Hobart Town for more supplies.

1837, March 9  Lucy Beare nee Loose dies, burial Pioneers Cemetery

1837, April 22  South Australian arrives Nepean Bay en route to Holdfast Bay 

1837, April 24 Sarah and Elizabeth in Nepean Bay, en route to Port Adelaide

1837, May  Regia from Sydney to Adelaide 

1837, May  Lord Hobart from the Cape, with cattle, to Pt Adelaide 

1837, May 4  Schah (Shah) en route to Holdfast Bay from England

1837, June 20  Death of King William IV of England.  

1837, June 21   Princess Victoria proclaimed Queen  

1837, September 14 Sarah and Elizabeth in Nepean Bay from whaling cruise (150 barrels of sperm oil), and underwent repair work by H. Mildred. 

1837, October 16  Hartley arrives Nepean Bay, carrying the William Giles family

1837, October 14  Catarina Maria Kleemann, nee Helm dies at sea on Solway, buried Pioneer Cemetery

1837, October 15   Solway, Katherine Stewart Forbes, Hartley at Nepean Bay 

1837, October 22-28, November 13-19   Alice in Nepean Bay

1837, November 30  Navarino at Nepean Bay dropping off several passengers before proceeding to Holdfast Bay  6 December 1837. Barque under the command of Captain Christopher Abel Warming and carried 217 passengers of which 151 were adults and 66 were children.

1838, January 16  Royal Admiral direct from Falmouth 16w 1d arrives Nepean Bay for 2 days 

1838, June 10  Vice-Regal.  Governor Hindmarsh visits Kingscote  Arrived on the Pelorus. Entertained by W. Giles. 

1838, July 14   Governor Hindmarsh recalled replaced by Lt-Colonel George Gawler 

1838, July 25   Duke of Roxburghe en route to Holdfast Bay discharged Enoch Essex, wife and child, and a single man 

1838, October 12   George Gawler, 2nd governor arrives on 'Pestonjee Bomanjee' 

1838, November 9   Ship Bengalee  carrying first Prussian settlers. Then to Port Adelaide 16 Nov.

1838, December 20  Ships Prince George, Goshawk ballasting in Nepean Bay 

1839  SA Company HQ moved from Kingscote to Adelaide 

1839, February 18   Samuel Giles dies age 9y, buried Pioneers Cemetery 

1839, July 18  Edward Hollingworth Giles dies age 8m, buried Pioneers Cemetery 

1839, October 6   Col. William Light dies at Thebarton 

1840, January 18   Samuel Stephens, manager SA Coy to 1837 dies from falling from horse

1841, May 10  Governor Gawler recalled, replaced by George Grey until 1845 Colonization Commission bankrupt 

1843   John Ridley invented reaping machine radically changed farming methods

1843  The Majestic and Lancaster, American whalers, and the St Croix, a Danish whaler at Kangaroo Island

1844    Kapunda copper mining started 

1845    Burra Burra copper mining (to 1877) 

1845, October 25   Governor (until 1848) Lt-Col. Frederick Holt Robe 

1846, January 9  Elizabeth Beare dies of burns, at Netley, buried West Terrace Cemetery

1847 Ship 11 ton cutter William wrecked at Penneshaw Built American River c.1844 by Wm. Wilkins and Wm. Walker 

1848, August 2   Governor (until 1854) "Sir Henry, E.F. Young" 

1851   Census Kangaroo Island 85 males 33 females, total 118 

1851, September 12   Ship Reliance arrives, en route to Port Adelaide.

1852, January 16 Cape Willoughby lighthouse light exhibited 

1853. November 25  Shipwreck Osmali, D'Estrees Bay 

1854   John Buick settles at American River, establishing a farm and orchard 

1855, June 8  Governor (until 1862) "Sir Richard G. MacDonnell, CB." 

1856   SA South Australia became a self-governing colony  ratification of a new constitution by the British parliament 

1856, April  Robert (Henry) "Governor" Wallen dies Adelaide, burial Pioneers Cemetery 

1857  SA Waste Lands Act 1857  set out conditions for sale of Crown Land 

1857  The Corio and Young Australian ran to Kangaroo Island to meet the English mail steamers in Nepean Bay, until about 1860.

1858  Samuel Reeves, infant son of Augustus dies, burial Pioneers Cemetery 

1858, January 27   Torrens Title - Real Property Act 1858 reforms in registering and conveyancing freehold title of land in S.A.

1859   (The later named) Faith, Hope and Charity cottages built by Charles and Michael Calnan 

1859, March 17  P.&O. mail steamer Benares arrives Nepean Bay

1859, July 5  P.&O. steamer Salsette  arrives Nepean Bay with mail from Southampton en route to Melbourne

1859, July 13  Cape Borda lighthouse light exhibited 

1859, August 5  P&O steamer Bombay arrives Nepean Bay with English mail of June 18

1859, September 5th.—Emeu, R.M.S., from Suez.

1859, December 12  R.M.S. Columbian arrives Nepean Bay with mail, en route to Melbourne

1860   Wallaroo copper mining started 

1860, January 6  P. & O. Company's steamer Salsette arrives in Nepean Bay with November mail

1860, February 5  R.M.S.S. Northam arrives Nepean Bay, en route to Hobsons Bay

1860, April 22  P & O Mail Steamship Ottowa arrives Nepean Bay, en route to Sydney

1860, May 21  Shipwreck Fides, nr Snug Cove 

1860, June 11  R.M.S. Jeddo arrives Nepan Bay en route to Sydney

1861, November 6   Thomas Hudson Beare dies, buried Myponga. 

1862, March 4   SA Governor (until 1868) Sir Dominick Daly

1862, October 27  Harriet Granger (wife of George) dies, burial Pioneers Cemetery

1869  Strangways Act 1869 (amendment of Waste Lands Act) applied credit purchase to defined ‘agricultural areas’ in SA

1871, May 26. Vice-regal visit. The Right Honourable Sir James Fergusson Bt

1874 Hundred of Dudley proclaimed  

1874 County Carnarvon, proclaimed   

1875, December 25   Submarine cable to Normanville project completed in 6 days

1876, August 13   Cape Borda to Kingscote overland cable connecting to Adelaide

1877, May 15  Shipwreck Emily Smith, South K.I. 

1878  Hundred of Menzies proclaimed  

1880, Jan 23  A large fire swept through Cygnet River. Mr Stokes burnt out.

1880, May 15  Telegraph line completed between Cape Willoughby and Kingscote, enabling communication to the mainland.

1881, May 9  George Granger dies, burial Pioneers Cemetery 

1882, January 13  Hog Bay becomes Penneshaw, Government Gazette 

1882, January 20  Large bush fires on K.I. 

1882  French gunboat, The Governor Bruat, called into K.I., bound for New Caledonia, and was not reported to the authorities, speculating rumours.

1882, December 28  the town of Maxwell was proclaimed.  The name of the town was changed to Emu Bay in December 1941. 

1883 Land Hd Haines proclaimed  

1883 Event - KI New Kingscote Cemetery Pioneers cemetery ceded by SA Coy 

1884 Land Hd Cassini proclaimed  

1884  John Bernard ANDERSON and George Wilson RUTHVEN Publicans of Queenscliffe Hotel. 

1884, April 14  Shipwreck Mimosa, Stokes Bay 

1884, July 8  Sarah Mary Paris (nee Chennell) wife of George dies, burial Pioneers Cemetery

1885, January 9  Vice-regal. Sir William Cleaver Francis Robinson GCMG visits K.I.

1885, June 16  Shipwreck Mars, off Western Bay 

1885, October Event - KI Ligurian Bees Bill establishing a sanctuary for Ligurian bees on KI

1886 Event - SA Crown Lands Consolidation Act 1886 consolidate and amend the Law relating to Crown Lands 

1887, September 16  BDM / Personal Lucy Beare (nee Bull), Thomas H. Beare's 2nd wife dies, buried North Road cemetery 

1888, January 5  Event - KI District Councils Act 1887 - District Council of Kingscote initially comprised the entirety of Kangaroo Island 

1888, June 7  Event - KI Proclamation of District Council of Dudley "severed" from the District Council of Kingscote 

1889, January 26  Shipwreck Maldon Lewis, off Point Morrison 

1890  Proposal for erection of a Chamber for Kingscote Council. (Opened 1898)

1890, June 14  Shipwreck You Yangs,  East of K.I. 

1894  S.A. parliament passes Act for the franchise to women. They voted for the first time in the election of 1896.

1895, February  Large bush fires on Kangaroo Island. 

1895 Population estimated at ninety souls, all told. 

1896   Matilda ANDERSON, Queenscliffe Hotel 

1897, December 3. Vice-regal. Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton Bt GCMG visits Kingscote.

1899   Boer War to May 1902 

1899, April 24 Shipwreck Loch Sloy, Maupertius Bay 

1901, January 1   Federation of Australia S.A. ceased to be a self-governing colony and became a state of the Commonwealth of Australia. 

1901, January 22   Death of Queen Victoria  

1901, December 25   John Bernard Anderson prop. Queenscliffe Hotel, dies 

1902, May 30    Samuel O'HARA, Queenscliffe Hotel 

1902, September 9    James OLDS (Jnr), Queenscliffe Hotel 

1902  Flinders Obelisk erected

1903, February.  Vice-regal. Lord Tennyson, Governor of Australia 1899-1902 visits American River, Hog Bay.

1903  Approval for name of Queenscliffe to revert to original name - Kingscote. [Official change in 1940]

1903-08-09 Henry AYRIS, Queenscliffe Hotel 

1905  Shipwreck Loch Vennachar, between 6 Sep - 29 Sep 

1906 Hundred of MacGillivray proclaimed  

1906, November 18 Shipwreck Montebello, west Stunsailboom River 

1907, April  Hundred of MacGillvray, blocks made available.

1907, October 9    Matilda ANDERSON, Queenscliffe Hotel 

1908   Royal Commission (to 1911) upon the necessity for a railway through K.I.

1908, March 7   K.I. Railway proposal. Deputation to the Commissioner of Crown Lands rebuffed - "The country had not been sufficiently tested". Bad news for the Islanders, particularly the farmers in the new hundreds of MacGillivray and Seddon.

1908 Land Hundred of Seddon proclaimed  

1908 Land Farmers and property owners. See list of names in the newspaper article 

1908, September 18   Kingscote Golf Club inaugural meeting 

1908,  March 10   Charles Alfred ANDERSON, Queenscliffe Hotel 

1908, November.  Vice-regal. Sir George Le Hunte, in the Governor Musgrave visits Vivonne Bay, Cape de Couedie, Hog Bay and Kingscote.

1909, February 18  Vice-regal visit to Kingscote by Governor-General and Lady Dudley

1909 Hd Duncan, Hd Ritchie, Hd Newland proclaimed 

1909   Cape du Couedic lighthouse light exhibited 

1910 Land Hundred of McDonald proclaimed 

1910,  July 5   KI Floods  

1910, November 28  Vice-regal Admiral Sir Day Hort Bosanquet GCVO KCB  opens new Kingscote jetty. Opens inaugural K.I. Show, Kingscote.

1912, November 21  Vice-regal  Vice-regal Admiral Sir Day Hort Bosanquet GCVO KCB opens 2nd K.I. show, Kingscote; visits American River and Vivonne Bay. Returned to Adelaide 26 November 1912.

1914, January. Vice-regal visit. Vice-regal Admiral Sir Day Hort Bosanquet GCVO KCB 

1915    Settlement of Returned Soldiers ...Act 1915 

1915, July 26  Shipwreck Vera, near jetty, Cape De Couedic

1916, Feb 2. Vice-regal. Lieutenant Colonel Sir Henry Lionel Galway KCMG DSO, visit to Kingscote and Cygnet River.

1917, April 7.  Vice-regal. Lieutenant Colonel Sir Henry Lionel Galway KCMG DSO fishing holiday. Returned to Adelaide 16 April.

1917, August 6   Local floods.

1918, August 28   Ozone Hotel destroyed by fire  

1919, October   Flinders Chase.  After a 27-year advocacy campaign, and periodic dedication of land by the government, in October 1919 the South Australian parliament established Flinders Chase as a nature reserve on the western end of the island. Flinders Chase provides a protected environment for the island’s unique flora and fauna and a sanctuary for mainland species threatened with extinction.

1919, Dec - Jan Vice-regal. Lieutenant Colonel Sir Henry Lionel Galway KCMG DSO visits K.I. on farewell tour.

1922, May 20   KI Kangaroo Island Football Association incorporation 

1923, April 7. Vice-regal, Lieutenant General Sir George Tom Molesworth Bridges KCB KCMG DSO, visits K.I.

1924, March 26. Vice-regal visit, Lieutenant General Sir George Tom Molesworth Bridges KCB KCMG DSO

1927, January. Vice-regal visit, Lieutenant General Sir George Tom Molesworth Bridges KCB KCMG DSO

1928 Telephone connection to Adelaide

1929, January. Vice-regal visit. Brigadier the Honourable Sir Alexander Gore Arkwright Hore-Ruthven VC KCMG CB DSO. 

1931 Hundred of Gosse proclaimed  

1932 Great Depression Aust. unemployment record 30% 

1933 Seven new leases granted in Hundreds of Duncan and Gosse

1934, July 19  Penneshaw Golf Club inaugural meeting 

1936, November 7  Vice-regal. The Governor, Sir Winston Dugan, unveiled the Pioneers memorial at Kingscote during centenary celebrations. Returned to Adelaide 12 November.

1939  First road sealing

1940 Maxwell and Emu Bay recognised as Emu Bay.

1945 onwards. Trace element-superphosphate techniques made soil more viable

1945  War Service Land Settlement Agreement Act 1945 

1946, November 7  Vice-Regal visit by His Excellency Lieutenant General Sir Charles Willoughby Norrie KCMG CB DSO MC and Lady Norrie

1947 Population  1479  

1951,  July 26   Soldier Settlement Scheme; Parndana established . 174 families came to live in the area, almost doubling K.I.'s population by 1954. Huge work involved in clearing the land, with Council (Burdon was overseer) laying the new roads. Last new blocks in Hd of Borda settled in 1964.

1953, November 19-21  Vice Regal visit. Air Vice Marshal Sir Robert Allingham George KCMG KCVO KBE CB MC

1954  Population  2522 

1960  Hundred of Borda proclaimed  

1961   Pardana oval opened. MV Troubridge service begins; end of Karatta service 50 years. Premier Playford advises dam will be built on Middle River. [opened 1964 by R. Wheaton OBE; works completed 1969]

1962 Proposed that EFS units acquire radios for fire control

1963 Anderson family leave the Queenscliffe Hotel (1878-1963)

1965 Submarine cable laid to mainland providing electric power

1966 Land bought in Kingscote for Homes for Aged

1968 Community farewell men leaving for Vietnam

1969, July 27  Reeves Point land given to Council by Roy Carter

1971  Acquisition of "Hope Cottage" by National Trust

1978  Trunk calls end on KI - all will be local

1979  State Emergency Services group formed

1981 Hurricane causes much damage to a portion of Kingscote

1987  Troubridge service terminated; Island Seaway service commences

1991  Event - Australia Economic slump forced farmers to diversify 

1996  Kingscote and Dudley Councils amalgamated to create the Kangaroo Island Council

1998 Event - KI Penneshaw  reverse-osmosis seawater desalination plant 

2011 Population 2011 Census 4417 

2015, April  Vice-regal. His Excellency the Honourable Hieu Van Le AO visits K.I.

2019, December 20 - 2020, January  Devastating  fires destroyed much of Kangaroo Island, and claiming two lives.

2020, Jan 7  Governor General David John Hurley, AC, DSC, FTSE visits K.I. 

2022, July 27.  Vice-regal. Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC. She also visited  Penneshaw on April 6.